Recipes

Sweet Potato and Lemon Baked Falafel

Sweet Potato and Lemon Baked Falafel. Photo and recipe by That Healthy Kitchen

Oh my god. Guys, this really might just be the best falafel I’ve ever had. So so so delicious and – important for those of you who want to stay on track with their lifestyle/diet – really healthy too! As these are baked instead of fried, you will get a lot less fat than the normal ones, and besides the oil from the sesame seeds this recipe is fat free yay. I’ve never imagined myself looking for fat free recipes, but recently I’ve started using My Fitness Pal, and I’ve realized how incredibly kcal dense oil actually is. Do any of you use it too? Anyway, if you want these to taste more like the original ones, you can of course bake them with a little olive or coconut oil or just fry them if that is more your thing. Just know that even without all the grease these are still really really delicious :)


Sweet Potato and Lemon Baked Falafel
These falafels are really summery and light thanks to some lemon juice and lemon zest, and the sweet potato pairs perfectly with it. The sesame seeds give them a nice little crunch and provide some proteins, but if you are worried about your daily protein intake it might be beneficial to add some brown rice or hemp protein powder. I didn’t, but it is definitely possible!

Sweet Potato and Lemon Baked FalafelFor a light lunch I ate the falafels wrapped in a romaine lettuce leaf and I topped it with this amazing tomato hummus, sliced radishes, red onion, some quartered cherry tomatoes, lots of basil, julienned carrots, a drizzle of Sriracha and a sprinkle of lime juice. With the toppings and hummus all together, this whole wrap was only 298 kcal!

Sweet Potato and Lemon Baked FalafelAs this recipe makes you about 22 falafels, you will probably have some leftovers that you can have for lunch the next day, or just by themselves as a snack. They are of course best when eaten warm, but cold they are still really delicious!

Sweet potato and lemon baked falafel
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 22 falafels

Ingredients
530 gram sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons broken flax
100 gram chickpea flour (if you have a Vitamix, check this tutorial)
1 tablespoon djintan powder
1 tablespoon paprika powder
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (replace by baking soda if you want the falafel to taste less tangy)
juice and zest of one lemon
optional: a bunch of fresh mint or coriander, roughly chopped
70 gram sesame seeds

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celcius.
2. Put your sweet potatoes in a big pan with enough water to cover them and boil them for about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Combine the broken flax with 4 tablespoons of water and set aside.
4. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients (chickpea flour, djintan powder, paprika powder, chili powder and baking powder).
5. If the sweet potatoes are done, take them out of the water and mash them. Then, add the water-flax mixture and the juice and zest of the lemon and mix well.
6. Add the dry ingredients and stir well. If you are using fresh mint or coriander, this would be the time to add that too. The mixture should become quite thick, which will make it easier to form the falafels later.
7. Make 22 round balls and roll them through the sesame seeds and place them on a large oven dish lined with parchment paper. They will not flatten out in the oven, so you can place the falafels pretty close together. Bake them for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Nutritional information (per falafel)
62 kcals
2.2 gram fat
9.3 gram carbohydrates, of which 2.1 gram sugar and 2.4 gram dietary fiber
2.2 gram protein

 

Lemon & Sweet Potato Falafels - Healthy, delicious and easy!!

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10 Comments

  • Reply claudia June 20, 2015 at 08:17

    looks delish & healthy, must try!

    • Reply Emma June 22, 2015 at 10:18

      Thank you Claudia! They sure are really really delicious, it would be awesome if you would make them! xx Emma

  • Reply Mel@avirtualvegan June 20, 2015 at 14:32

    Wow these falafel look great! I often put yam in mine for the sweetness but using sweet potato would have the same effect here. I love the toasty sesame seed coating. I bet the nutty flavour really complements them. Can’t wait to try!

    • Reply Emma June 22, 2015 at 10:22

      Thank you so much Mel! I guess that it is easily possible to substitute them for each other. Let me know how they turn out! I would love to hear back from you :) xx Emma

  • Reply kellie@foodtoglow June 23, 2015 at 08:36

    I’ve been meaning to make some baked falafels for ages and this sweet recipe has given me the hedge I need. :)

    • Reply Emma June 24, 2015 at 12:09

      That is great to hear Kellie!! Thank you so much :) Would love to see/hear about the results! xx Emma

  • Reply Review: Tasty Food Photography – That Healthy Kitchen August 13, 2015 at 17:28

    […] Garnish your food. Just a little drizzle of sauce over some falafels or some fresh basil on your tomato soup can make an enormous difference. Don’t go all out on […]

  • Reply Ann October 9, 2015 at 16:45

    Wow, this recipe looks so yummy, can’t wait to try your lemon baked falafel !! Thanks for sharing. If you like to taste the World, you should try Kitchen Trotter. With a different country featured each month in the Kitchen Trotter kit, you will have the opportunity to discover and try your hand at cuisines from all around the world… http://www.kitchentrotter.co.uk/

    • Reply Emma November 13, 2015 at 11:27

      Thank you so much Ann! :)

  • Reply Creamy pesto with walnuts and spinach – That Healthy Kitchen November 12, 2015 at 01:38

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